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Pakistan

While a Presidential fiat grants bail to 1300 females facing trial for various offences, it is unlikely to permanently benefit those charged with adultery under Pakistan's notorious 'hudood' laws - long criticised by rights groups as being anti-women.

The government has decided to retain all Islamic punishments in the Hudood Ordinance, including stoning to death (rajam), lashing and amputation for various offences, but has proposed procedural amendments regarding their applicability.

Anyone reporting an honour killing case to the police or filing a case with the court will be killed by the jirga since the publicising of such cases has brought a bad name to the area, Malik Faiz Muhammad, member of the Nihag-Wari jirga, said on Friday.

A powerful new militia dubbed "the Pakistani Taliban" has effectively seized control of swaths of the country's northern tribal areas in recent months, triggering alarm in Islamabad and marking a big setback in America's "war on terror".

WLUML has received this call for action from friends at Hotline Asia and urges you to respond. They state that in the past 10 months (May 2005 to February 2006), the places of worship and properties of religious minorities are increasingly being targeted by the extremist attacks and grabbing of properties in Pakistan.